more cardiac procedures
performed than all other
area hospitals combined *

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* Source: Annual State Hospital Questionnaire

There’s a certain comfort you get knowing the hands that treat you are
experienced, qualified and accomplished. A multidisciplinary team of
cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons on University Hospital’s medical staff
provide expert prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of
cardiovascular disease. We performed more than 4,000 cardiac catheterizations
and more than 600 open heart surgeries in 2002 -- more than all of the
other area hospitals combined.
These are distinctions you won’t find at any other area hospital
-- numbers you can count on when you need them.

WWW.UNIVERSITYHEALTH.ORG

4TH ANNUAL

ALL CHRISTMAS,
All Season!

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Listen to 98.3 fm for a R E A L VA R I E T Y of continuous holiday favorites!

hy is it that if an individual
normal citizen is caught with
prescription drugs that are
not in his/her name, they are
arrested and charged and could end up
with time in jail and a large fine? Yet
Rush Limbaugh is caught and gets his
hands slapped. Rush is a smart person
and should have known he was breaking
the law. If he continued his back pain
problems, he should have remained under
his doctor’s care for his medication.
Undoubtedly they decided not to continue writing prescriptions to avoid him
developing a habit, yet he decided he was
smarter than his doctors and took it on
his own to handle the situation.
After lodging a legitimate complaint with
the Georgia Public Service Commission,
and receiving an unsatisfactory response (a
generic form letter from someone who
wouldn’t even sign their name), I got angry
and called to talk to a warm body, hoping
to get some answers. Do you know what I
was told? This person said the Georgia
PSC doesn’t work for the taxpaying citizens of the state of Georgia; that their function is to enforce legislation directed at
public utilities. Now, correct me if I’m
wrong, but doesn’t government work for
the taxpaying citizens? Call me crazy, but
wasn’t that supposed to be the purpose of
having a government, to speak for and
work on behalf of taxpaying citizens? I’m
totally flabbergasted. When are we, as taxpaying citizens of this country, going to
stand up and do something about our
bloated government and its inefficiencies!
My dentist has a picture of Broad Street
of the distant past in his office. This
photo shows an extremely busy business
district. I realize that the Regency Mall
had much to do with the downfall of the
old Broad Street businesses. Well, that
mall is gone. Why can’t/won’t those
hustling, bustling businesses return to
downtown?

Re: “Is $74 Million Too Much for a
Courthouse?” This article states “the actual
cost of the building is estimated to be less
than $55 million.” Apparently the majority
of the additional cost is for “environmental
remediation.” OK, just who was the last
owner who was responsible for this pollution? He should foot the clean-up bill. If he
is bankrupt, then we should seek federal
assistance, perhaps from the EPA. Either
way, why tear down a perfectly good,
usable facility such as the Civic Center?
Some people out there have some strange
idea that young people have no work ethic
and act like serving customers is doing
them a favor. Let me tell you something:
Some companies demand and enforce that
kind of behavior. A company I used to
work for constantly told me, “You spend
too much time on customers. They don’t
matter. Just get rid of them as fast as you
can.” It won’t do you any good to complain. The Powers That Be will just nod,
pretend to listen and keep regarding you
and all other customers as trash.
Why do people look up to and admire
police officers and military? All the
police officers I have known are arrogant, violent people who are more interested in promoting their own ego than
they are in public safety.
I just finished reading Brian Neill’s
“Augusta Blogger Offers Curious
Insights” feature. I think you guys may
have missed something. My friend
Brandon Mullis has been running a massive web site for five years, offering
insights, making films around the
Augusta area and featuring Augusta in
short stories, rants and seasonal pages
like “Christmas on Broad Street.” He
exhibits everything from toilet humor to
serious political columns, and gets over
200 hits a day with no advertising. Give
motherbuster.com a visit, and see if you
like it as much as “Violent Nation.”

Words
“Ladies and gentlemen,
we got him.”
— The quote heard ‘round the world on the morning of Dec. 14 after the U.S.’s
administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, announced that former Iraqi leader Saddam
Hussein had been captured.

Well, last night while flipping through the
channels I decided to check out yet another
awards ceremony. Nothing changes.
Actors and musicians will create an awards
ceremony for no reason at all, other than
patting one another on the back.

in South Augusta. We have too many
Waffle Houses on Highway 25. Can
somebody please help get us one down
here? We have plenty of space and plenty
of other restaurants, but we need an
IHOP.

I always key the cars of those who take
up more than one space in their parking
arrogance. So take heart in that fact when
you see a brand new luxury car doubleparked, that it will be scratched regardless
of its driver’s tactics. Merry Christmas!

Marion Williams is such a small-minded,
mean and vindictive individual. He is
truly pathetic. He is so jealous of George
Kolb that he will do anything in his
attempts to damage Kolb’s reputation. I
wonder if Williams really reads the Bible,
especially the parts pertaining to jealousy,
hate and loving your brothers. Practice
what you preach Williams; your actions
speak much louder than your words.

I have a solution about a new Civic
Center. Mr. Morris and Mr. Lawrence,
you have enough money to build it yourselves and own it. If it turns to profit in
the first year, then the county can buy it
from you.
My gripe is against George Bush. When he
became governor of Texas, he had a $6 billion surplus and, when he left that government, he had a $10 billion deficit. So I see
a pattern here and our government is the
same thing: He cuts taxes and spends like
a liberal. I think we should put a stop to it.

Am I the only one fed up with the annual
“benefactor by proxy” giving? This happens when some prominent hack gets in
front of the cameras and presents a large
donation check to charity, subtly taking
credit for it, like somehow he was responsible. The truth is, those most able to give
give nearly nothing, especially if it isn’t a
tax write-off. Poor people give a disproportionate amount to charity. The rich guy
gets the face time while the poor carry the

Help! Help! We need an IHOP restaurant

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Holiday Tradition!
We Ship anywhere in the U.S.
www.heavenlyham.com

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;ATTORNEY AT LAW â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Thumbs
Up
So, it looks like the late Senator
Strom Thurmondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s segregationist
views applied everywhere except the
bedroom. Just like plantation owners
who used to sleep with their slaves, it
seems Thurmond had no problem
ranting about the black race while
sleeping with its women.
This came to light recently when a

woman claiming to be the late senatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
mixed-race daughter came forward and
talked to the media.
The 78-year-old woman, Essie Mae
Washington-Williams, should be
applauded for finally coming forward after all these years to set the
record straight.